Can-opener.



0.1. TURNER.

CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAH.3,19\5.

Patented Dec. 28. 1915.

@@@Ewww v lowing to be 'affull, clear, and.exact descrip` OSCAR J. TURNER, 0F MINNEPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

. GAN-OPENER- incense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten nee. as, rais.

Application led March?, 1915. Serial No. 11,702.

To all 4whom t may concern.'

Beit known that I, OSCAR J. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can- Openers; and I do hereby declare the foltion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in tlie art to which it appertains to make and use tlie same. l

My invention has for its object to provide an improved can opener; and, to this end, it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustratethe invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved can opener; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same; Fig. 4 is a blank from which the improved can. opener is formed; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the integrally formed knife blade vand screw driver; and Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken near the end of the can opener and' showing the tack puller.

The numeral l indicates a blank sheet of metal, cut to proper form, (see Fig. 4;) which when bent upon itself affords a skele- .ton handle 2. Bent from one of the longitudinal edge portions of the blank l, and at the ends thereof, is a pair of outwardly and reversely extended bearing ianges 3. The

other longitudinal edge portion of saidv blank is also bent to afford a pair of outwardly and reversely extended lianges 4 and 5, also located at the ends of said blank.

The longitudinal edge of the flange 4 is serrated to afford a fish sealer 6 and the longitudinal edge of the :flange 5 is shaped to form a bottle crown remover 7. As shown, the inner curved edge of the bottle crownremover 7 has a knife edge 8, for use in ripping sewed sacks. `The can o ener knife blade 9 is secured, by rivets 10, etween the prongs of the handle 2 with its cutting edge turned toward the operator and located substantially in the plane of the inner ends of the bearing anges 3. Integrally formed with-the knife blade 9 is a screw driver 11, which projects beyond the adjacent end of the handle 1.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be noted screw driver 11 may be used that the bearing flanges 3 extend obliquely with respect to the adjacent longitudinal edge of the blank 1, so that when the knife blade. 9 is forced through a can, to be opened, and the bearing flanges 3 rest in flat engagement with the can, the handle 2 will extend upwardly toward the operator, thereby affording sufiicient room for the operators hand. Pivotally secured vbetween the prongs of the handle 2, is a cork screw 12, adapted to be turned, from an inoperative position between the prongs of the handle, into an operative position, at right angles to said handle.' Cut in the transverse portion of the handle 2, is an aperture 1 3, having a contracted neck which affords a convenient tool for removing tacks and the like.

The can opener is especially designed to cut close to the edge of a can either on the top or the side thereof and by arranging the knife blade as shown, withY its cutting edge turned toward the operator cans. may be opened with a very slight movement of the knife blade without disturbing the contents of the can. This feature` is highly important especially when salesmen are opening canned goods for display. The arrangementof the knife blade is such that in opening square cans the operator may cut into the corners, thereby removing the entire cover.

Either one, or both, of the bearing anges 3 may be used as a fulcrum for the knife blade 9, and, in some instances, and particularly in opening so called sanitary cans, the as a fulcrum with its beveled edge following the folded edge of the can.

4Among the many advantages .of arranging the knife blade with its cutting edge toward the operator, may be mentioned that the operators hand is always over the uncut portion of the can, thereby eliminating all danger of being cut by the ragged edge of the can. It also makes it possible to guide the cutting edge of the knife blade by the back of the knife in engagement by the side of the can.

The above described can opener, while eX- tremely simple and of small cost to manufacturers, is thought to be highly eiicient for the purpose had in view.

What I claim is 1. In a can opener, the combination with a blank-strip of metal, bent upon itself to form a handle, one of the longitudinal edges of said strip, at the ends thereof, being bent laterally to,aiford al pair of reversely extended bearin g flanges, and a knife blade secured to said handie between said bearing flanges, with its cutting edge extended toward the operator and located at the inner ends of said bearing flanges.

2. In a can opener, the combination of a blank strip of metal bent upon itself to form a handle, one of the longitudinal edges 'of said strip, at the ends thereof, beingbent laterally to afford a pair of reversely eX- tended bearing flanges, and a knife blade having a fulcrum extension integrally formed therewith, said knife blade being se- 15 cured to said handle between its bearing flanges with its cutting edge turned toward the operatorand located at the inner ends of said bearing flanges, and the said fulerum extension projecting from the operator be- 20 yond the adjacent end of said handle.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my; signature in presence oft/wo witnesses.

osoAR J. TURNER.

Witnesses:

EVA E. KNIG, HARRY D. KILGoRE. 

